Wonder Woman #38: The Matriarch Attacks

Wonder Woman #38 picks up with The Matriarch arriving in the present day to stop Lizzie and Steve from preventing her future reign. As expected, the confrontation quickly escalates into a brawl, with Diana jumping into the fray to show The Matriarch what her greatest adversary was capable of in her prime. However, things soon begin to spiral out of control, forcing The Matriarch to consider retreat. Before she can make her escape, though, she finds herself facing an unexpected adversary: Nubia, Queen of the Amazons.

Unfortunately, this issue captures both the best and worst elements of the run, resulting in an uneven reading experience. On the positive side, artist Daniel Sampere absolutely knocks it out of the park with the action, giving the book an incredible sense of spectacle. Despite some narrative inconsistencies, the issue consistently looks fantastic, and Sampere never loses sight of the sheer scale of the conflict. Every major confrontation feels appropriately grand, and the character work helps sell the emotional weight behind these encounters. Certain moments, particularly Nubia’s arrival, feel genuinely epic and are worth the price of admission on their own. Even when the story struggles to connect the dots, the artwork ensures there is rarely a dull moment on the page.

Unfortunately, the problems become increasingly apparent as the narrative unfolds. The Matriarch feels like a remarkably inconsistent character, especially when compared to her previous appearances just a few issues ago. One moment that particularly highlights this issue is her decision to leave Diana rather than fight her. This is the same character readers recently watched decimate the mainstream heroes and kill a future version of Diana. Given that track record, having The Matriarch arrive, demonstrate her overwhelming power, and then leave the protagonist alive feels far too convenient for the plot. More importantly, it comes across as a decision that contradicts the ruthless, seemingly unstoppable villain readers have come to know. A retreat can certainly make sense for a character in the right circumstances, but the story needs to establish a convincing reason for that decision. Without one, The Matriarch’s actions undermine the very threat the narrative has spent so much time building.

As the issue draws to a close, another layer of this final conflict emerges, once again raising questions about The Matriarch’s characterization and motivations. While there is little value in getting bogged down in a power-scaling debate, there is no denying that The Matriarch has been portrayed as more powerful than nearly any member of the Justice League. With that in mind, why would she need assistance from other Wonder Woman villains to accomplish her goals? If she is truly as formidable as her previous appearances suggest, bringing in additional antagonists feels unnecessary and potentially diminishes the threat she poses. There is nothing inherently wrong with a powerful villain seeking allies, but the story needs to provide a compelling explanation for why she would need them in the first place. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to reconcile the character’s established abilities with the direction of the plot.

Ultimately,   #38 is a frustratingly mixed bag. Daniel Sampere delivers the kind of spectacular visuals that make this climactic conflict feel worthy of the series, and the arrival of Nubia provides a genuinely exciting highlight. However, the increasingly questionable decisions surrounding The Matriarch prevent the story from reaching its full potential. The result is an issue that looks incredible but struggles to make its central villain as compelling and consistent as she needs to be. With the final conflict continuing to unfold, the hope is that the remaining chapters will provide the narrative clarity necessary to make these developments feel earned rather than convenient.